From German patent publication 196 19 324, it is known to adjust the torque of the drive unit in dependence upon the position of an operator-controlled element actuated by the driver. A driver command torque is formed on the basis of this position and the torque of the drive unit is controlled in dependence upon this driver command torque in the sense of approaching the driver command torque. For determining the driver command torque, a first and a second torque are formed. The first torque is the maximum torque attainable at the particular operating point and the second torque is the minimum torque considering the loads on the drive unit. The driver command torque is then computed from a value, which is derived from the position of the operator-controlled element, via interpolation between these changeable maximum and minimum torque values. With the known solution, a satisfactory compensation of the loads in the driver command torque is obtained.
A procedure for determining a driver command torque is known from published German patent application 197 54 286. Here, the accelerator pedal position range is subdivided into two ranges. In a lower accelerator pedal range, the driver command is so computed that the torque development at the clutch is independent of ambient influences such as elevation above sea level, intake air temperature, et cetera and ancillary loads, operation of the climate system, generator, engine losses and transmission losses (that is, full compensation of the loads). In an upper accelerator pedal range, the computation is carried out in such a manner that a continuous metering of torque is achieved, that is, a change of the accelerator pedal position has the consequence of a torque change also in this range.
If a torque occurring at the output end of the transmission is pregiven as a driver command torque rather than an indicated engine torque as in the state of the art, then the possibility is presented to permit a targeted influencing of the torque by the driver in the drag range of the engine. This torque occurring at the output end of the transmission can, for example, be the transmission output torque, wheel torque, et cetera. The known solutions for determining the driver command do not provide any solution for the above.